Bolt or latch-actuated switches for controlling room light circuits, and particularly for opening the light circuit in a hotel room when not occupied, have long been known in the art. Known bolt or latch-actuated switches are typically mechanical based switches.
Latch-actuated switches for operating an alarm system is known in automobiles having a central locking system that operates an automobile alarm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,406 entitled “Motor vehicle having a central locking system and an anti-theft alarm system,” the contents of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes such a motor vehicle. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,406 it is described that the locked state and the unlocked state of all locks or doors of the motor vehicle are monitored by means of additional switching contacts. It is disclosed that activating the alarm system is prevented if at least one of the locks is not in the locked state. The switching contacts are common switching contacts that require mechanical contact. Activating the alarm system ready state is nevertheless possible by operating a key-operated lock a certain number of times within a specific limited time period.
According to the practice of orthodox Jews, a Jew may operate an electrical device during the Sabbath and Holy Days. According to this prohibition, an alarm system for securing a premises, e.g. a building or a home that requires deactivation when entering the premises and reactivation upon leaving the premises cannot be operated during the Sabbath and Holy Days. A building or a home is thus left vulnerable when the occupants leave the premises. Optionally, a timer can be preset prior to the onset of the Sabbath and Holy Days to activate and deactivate the alarm system at specific times when the occupants are expected to vacate and occupy the premises respectively. Such an arrangement constrains the occupants from entering the premises during specific hours and also leaves the premises vulnerable when the occupants vacate the premises prior to the time period preset for activating the alarm system.
A known Sabbath Alarm system that can be activated and deactivated during the Sabbath developed by Bet Halevi Systems Ltd. is disclosed in website http://www.shabbat-alarm.com/, downloaded on May 10, 2010 and incorporated by reference in its entirety. Activation and deactivation is controlled with an electronic circuit that sends an infrared beam from one side to an opposite side every 7 seconds for less than 1 thousandth of a second. The beam and the interval, together form a cycle. As long as the beam reaches the opposite side, activation of the alarm is prevented. If the beam is prevented from reaching the opposite side for 3 consecutive cycles, the alarm is activated. According to the Jewish custom of on work on the Sabbath and Holy Days, the act of obstructing the beam is neither a direct or indirect act of lighting and is therefore permissible on the Sabbath and Holy days to a certain extent. This Sabbath alarm is permissible to use in cases when a person is concerned for his/her personal safety. However if the concern is only to safeguard property, the use of this system is prohibited according the Orthodox Jewish custom of no work on the Sabbath and Holy Days.
Israel Patent No. IL105083, entitled “Device for activation and disconnection of alarm on Shabbat,” assigned to Avraham Halevi, the contents of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a Sabbath switch on the alarm control unit that can be used to cause activation or deactivation of an alarm system during the Sabbath and Holy Days by closing or opening a user controlled Sabbath switch or preventing activation of a weak relay (if used instead of a switch) by use of a magnet while it is disconnected from the current. After a delay, the device will automatically connect to current, and the device itself will automatically cause activation or deactivation by way of an oscillator that creates contact between the connected relay to the output of the oscillator for a short period of longer intervals that is preset prior to the Sabbath or the Holy day. It is disclosed that the user controlled Sabbath switch can be replaced by various switches or relays such as magnetic switches, mercury switches and photo-electric switches. Such a system as described in IL105083 is also only permissible for use in cases when a person is concerned for his/her personal safety.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,256 entitled “Dead-bolt lock monitoring unit and system,” the contents of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a dead-bolt receptacle unit including an optical dead-bolt detecting unit formed in the receptacle to detect a presence of the dead-bolt cylinder in a receiving slot of the receptacle unit. It is disclosed that the detecting unit includes an intermittently pulsing light emitting diode and an optical receiver for detecting the presence of the dead-bolt cylinder in the dead-bolt receiving slot. The dead-bolt detecting unit outputs a dead-bolt detecting signal and a central indicator unit receives the dead-bolt detecting signal output and provides an indication of the status of the dead-bolt. Such a system allows an operator to determine the status of a dead-bolt in the home.
UK Patent Application GB2141774, entitled “Key Operating Locking Device,” the contents of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a key-operated locking device for electrically actuated vehicle door locks in which only the correctly cut key will displace a row of tumblers or wards to bring apertures therein into alignment. A light emitter emits a light beam through the apertures as the key is inserted and if alignment is correct the beam is sensed by a light responsive sensor to generate a signal applied in a control circuit to release the door lock and/or operate other equipment.
International Publication No. WO 83/01643 entitled “Security Switch,” the contents of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a security locking switch for controlling actuation of equipment such as enabling authorized use only of a telephone. The disclosed locking switch includes a housing containing a plurality of gates which are individually transversely movable across a passage provided in the housing, an emitter disposed at one end of said passage and a detector disposed at the other end of the passage. Each gate has an aperture that permits passage of the signal emitted by the emitter. When a proper key engages with the gates, the key sets the gates in position so that their apertures are aligned and the signal emitted by the emitter is received by the detector. Actuation of the detector controls operation of the equipment.